I was just multi-tasking and have free towing with my insurance, I had nobody to ride with me at the time and had to work, so the tow seemed like a good solution.
I just saw the car today, the belt was in tact and the mechanic said it was tight when they checked and everything was perfect. The only thing I came up with is a faulty tensioner or pulley or something, still that’s the shops responsibility. Does that sound unreasonable?
Yes the head in the front.
I’ve got free towing and had nobody to ride with me to get the car at the time, seemed like a solid solution.
I didn’t mention that they took 2 weeks to do the timing belt and related components, this is my wife’s car and we work opposing schedules, so there were a lot of favors from friends and family as well as Uber receipts, I wanted the car ASAP after 2 weeks in the shop.
Let me tell you, first off the engine is clean and lightly used, it’s my wife’s car and it 5 speed, I drive faster than her in my '02 v6 automatic Mustang (and you could outrun that with a Kia Rio for crying out loud). Side note, my Stang has 300K miles and doesn’t smoke or leak so I know how to care for cars. Now that being said her Eclipse has had more problems that any car I or a friend or family member has ever had, but never engine trouble, aside from leaky valve covers which were replaced years ago. But all sorts of other things like window motors, starter, radiator, washer pump, horn, high beams (wires, not bulbs), and various little electrical things have gone wrong on this car in a few years time.
Well, that’s about all you need to hear to know that they’re lying idiots. They’re lying because that’s wrong, and they’re idiots because they think they’ll get away with that excuse.
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In my opinion, it’s sounding more and more like incompetence on the part of the shop
I wouldn’t offer any compromises . . . as George suggested . . . and hold tight. I have a feeling the shop will eventually fold and install a used engine for you, even if they don’t admit fault
Were they to do that, it would only be fair. However, I would INSIST on having them perform the timing belt job you already paid for . . . on that used engine. All the parts you already paid for, according to your receipts
You don’t want a used engine installed, and everything’s great, and then 6 months later, the timing belt snaps, the cam- or crank seal starts leaking catastrophically, etc.
Several years ago, a colleague was replacing a head gasket at the dealer. He got the timing marks wrong, and the end result was valves breaking off and right through the tops of pistons, just like in the picture you posted.
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Very helpful, thank you very much for your input.
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You’re welcome
Please let us know the eventual outcome, even if it takes awhile 
I “second” the request.
The photo you posted is pretty damning. Keep all your paperwork, especially your copies of the shop order that tell that they changed the timing belt. The photo plus evidence that they changed the belt should be enough to at least get you a new engine… preferably from a different shop.
My suggestion would be to immediately organize your documentation, including photos, and see a lawyer who specializes in tort actions. Different states have different tort laws, and only a lawyer practicing on your state can help you from here. My guess is that they know very well that they screwed up and are lying about it, and a properly written notice of intent to file a tort action will be enough for them to plead with you to accept a new engine… not a boneyard engine, a remanufactured engine, and be happy to accept your having it installed elsewhere. I seriously doubt if they want this to become public, as a tort action would be. It would ruin their business.
Note that if they’d accepted responsibility and not tried to lie to cover it up I’d feel differently, I’d feel they just screwed up, but their attempts to cover it up with lies deserves a full measure of consequence. Others may disagree, but it is the dishonesty that swayed my opinion.
Let us know how you make out.
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You say this is a 5 speed, a manual I guess. Could some idiot have towed it to your house in one of the lower gears? Or even in reverse with the front wheels on the ground?Or perhaps the lift failed or got accidentally lowered on the expressway.
I just can,t figure out any way it sounded fine at the shop when he checked it out and it arrived at his house like this.
That would have to be a “perfect” idiot. I haven’t had a vehicle towed on a hook for decades. All the tow companies I’m familiar with use flatbeds. If it was towed by hook why would a FWD car be towed with the front wheels on the ground instead of the rear wheels which are not connected to the drive train. A 2001 3rd generation Mitsubishi Eclipse has an electronic rev limiter but if it was being driven on the Jersey Turnpike at 80 mph and the 5 speed M/T was accidently downshifted from 5th gear to 2nd instead of 4th that could result in a mechanical over rev and cause major damage.
Sound advice, thank you very much. I will certainly keep everyone posted on the outcome! Much appreciated.